The Next Great Thing
An exploration into new digital products and experiences — and conversations with the people making them great. What separates a good digital product or experience from being the next great thing in our lives? It’s not just one thing, it’s lots of things — ideas, people, inspiration, distribution, longevity, luck. Host Andrew Greenstein talks with founders, CEOs, product heads, makers, producers, designers, and digital creationists about how they’re coming up with big ideas, pushing creative boundaries, and expanding what’s possible in the digital space. The Next Great Thing podcast is a production of SF AppWorks. Learn more at www.sfappworks.com.
The Next Great Thing
Aaron Easterly, CEO, Rover - Lessons in Building the World’s Largest Pet Care Marketplace
Our pets aren't just furry friends, they're family. And the pandemic brought this bond into focus for millions of Americans, with one in five households adopting a new dog or cat. But like any family member, pet parents need to care for their pets – and many of them turn to Rover, the world’s largest online marketplace that connects pet owners with pet sitters and dog walkers. That wasn’t always the case. Back in 2011, when Aaron Easterly and his two co-founders started Rover, they faced two big challenges: building trust with customers and convincing investors of the market potential. Back then, the pet care industry was haunted by the failures of companies like Pets.com during the dot-com boom, leading to negative perceptions of tech in the pet space. Furthermore, pet owners were relying on friends, family, and neighbors to take care of their dogs and cats – would they really trust a stranger? Aaron, Rover's CEO, joins the podcast to reflect on the company’s early days and share how Rover used data-driven decision-making and patience to build and grow the world’s largest online marketplace for pet care.
Show notes, episodes, and more at thenextgreatthingpodcast.com. For more information on SF AppWorks, visit sfappworks.com.
Follow Andrew on LinkedIn at @Andrew Greenstein
Questions? Feedback? Guest recommendations? Email us here.